Volunteering

[WinterStar]

Hi, I'm new to this forum, so please point me in the right direction if this is not the most suitable board

I'm wondering if there are any organisations that could make use of a bored mum and 2 year old little girl. I need to find something useful to do with my days, and with my daughter. Back in London we could have gone and helped out in soup kitchens....or we could have gone and cleared ponds together, or built pathways or dry stone walls......

How can I find out about things like this here in Jyvaskyla? I really want to do some environmental, physical work, with my toddler on my back maybe.....but I just don't know where to even start looking.

Needles to say, I don't speak a word of Finnish

[blaugrau]

You could get in touch with these guys: http://www.kvtfinland.org/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=27
It's the Finland branch of an international organisation called "Service Civil International". They organise workcamps during the summer months but there are also sometimes some other things going on throughout the year, and maybe they also know possibilities for doing more regular voluntary work.

They only mention the contact details of the Helsinki office on their webpage, but I'm sure they'll forward you the details of the local group in Jyväskylä once you get in touch with them.

KVT
Veturitori 3
00520 Helsinki
Finland
Ph: +358 9 7568 3333
Fax: +358 9 143 657
e-mail: kvt(at)kvtfinland.org

[WinterStar]

Ah, that's great, kiitos!

This looks like a great organisation. It looks like they probably don't have ongoing, every day projects, but I'm sure they will be able to point me in the direction of any other groups that exist.

Thanks for giving me a starting point

[Nallis]

The Red Cross organizes all kinds of volunteering, fir example befriending with the elderly or helping immigrants (asylum seekers and refugees that is) to settle down. You could contact the local branch of the Red Cross and ask what they have on offer (http://www.redcross.fi/aktiivit/osastot ... I/etusivu/).